The transmission is a critical component of overall vehicle operation
and without it you would not be able to drive your car. A transmission
allows you to move your vehicle forwards and backwards at different
speeds. For car owners, transmission failure can be a complete
nightmare, costing thousands of dollars to fix or replace. Nobody knows
when or where a transmission will fail, so there is another
inconvenience of possibly being stranded in the middle of nowhere or on
your way to an important function. Although transmission failure is not
something any car owner wants to hear about, there are warning signs
that may indicate your vehicle is having some kind of transmission
problems. Remember, even if your vehicle is experiencing one or more of
these warning signs, it does not necessarily mean it is the
transmission. Symptoms of a bad transmission overlap with numerous other
common vehicle problems, so it is always best to take your vehicle in
to have it inspected before just jumping to any irrational conclusion.
Bringing your vehicle in for an evaluation and possibly catching a minor
problem before it becomes a major issues, might save you thousands of
dollars. All that said, below are some of the more common symptoms of a
bad transmission:
Leaky Fluid-transmissions require fluid in order to function and are the
lifeblood of the transmission, serving to keep the internal parts cool
and lubricated. One warning sign of a bad transmission is when your
vehicle begins to leak transmission fluid. If you park on a white
surface, such as a concrete driveway or in a garage, you will be able to
tell if you have such fluid leakage. If you park on a dirt or grass
surface you will need to place a white cloth or blanket underneath the
hood part of your car to find such leakage. If you notice any pinkish
fluid leaking out, then you will know that it is from the transmission.
Also any very dark or burned looking fluid is another sign that the
transmission may be having a problem since optimal color should be a
dark or cherry red. Any fluids leaking from your vehicle are cause for
concern and warrant taking your vehicle to get transmission repair at as
soon as possible.
Slipping-another warning sign is transmission gear slippage. This is
usually one of the more common signs of transmission failure. You will
know if there is a slippage problem if you try to accelerate from a
stopped position. Vehicles with normal functioning transmissions allow
for a smooth acceleration without hesitation, however a vehicle that may
be experiencing a transmission problem would slow down this
acceleration process and at the same time your vehicle's RPM spikes up. A
jerking motion when putting the vehicle in gear or accelerating from a
stand still would be a sign of gear slippage as well.
Surging-when driving your car at steady speeds, you should never notice
any type of jerking movements. Bad transmissions usually cause vehicles
to surge or lurch ahead. You might hear the RPM's have a sudden increase
as well. Again, this issue needs to be solved right away and you should
take your car to a service center as soon as you're able.
Any Type of Burning Odor-a burning smell can be many things, and this
includes your transmission. A burning odor coming from your transmission
fluid means the fluid has broken down. When this happens, corrosive
agents and varnish accumulate throughout the transmission. When this
happens, heat builds up and can ultimately cause complete transmission
failure. Transmission overheating can be disastrous, so if you ever
smell any kind of burning odor, stop driving immediately until you have
your vehicle checked out by a professional.
Non-existent Transmission Action-transmissions that do not engage no
matter what gear you are in can indicate a serious transmission problem.
There could also be some sort of electronic failure causing your
transmission not to engage, so best thing to do is have it looked at
right away to determine the extent of the problem. Many repair shops
will offer free towing with repair if you're within a certain distance
from their location.
Dashboard Lights-your dashboard is your friend and usually (not all the
time) if your vehicle is having a problem a warning light will come on
to alert you. If you notice that your check engine light comes on, take
your vehicle in for an inspection as soon as possible. Although the
check engine light can be indicative of many things, even something as
simple as an electronic sensor or computer chip malfunction, it can also
indicate a possible transmission problem, so it is always better to be
safe than sorry here. Don't always think the worst case scenario just
because you see warning lights come on in your vehicle. Your vehicle is
simply alerting you that an issue needs to be addressed.
There are many things that can go wrong when driving your vehicle, so it
is always wise to have your vehicle checked on a routine basis and at
specific mileage intervals according to your owner's manual. There are
over 300 moving parts in many transmissions and any one of these could
be the cause of your problem. A transmission problem is usually the
extreme when it comes to diagnosing different vehicle problems, but it
is a problem that no car owner desires to have. As soon as you notice
any of the above symptoms or other abnormalities when driving your
vehicle, don't take chances and have the vehicle checked out. Routine
maintenance can be a low cost of way of preventing major transmission
failure down the road. Although there are no guarantees of preventing
any kind of possible transmission problems, having knowledge about the
symptoms of a bad transmission may prevent further damage to this vital
component and save you a lot of money in the long run.
